


The Longest Year

by spiralxshock



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, M/M, but its got a happy ending, its basically all angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 08:24:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14052888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiralxshock/pseuds/spiralxshock
Summary: One cycle Davenport gets sick, and he doesn’t get better.





	The Longest Year

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an idea I’d written down for one of their cycles, I hope you enjoy some good angst.

It started with a cough. Not a big deal, he’d had lingering coughs before.Nobody thought anything of it. Davenport was still going about his days just fine, only mildly inconvenienced.

It would have been better if luck had let it stay that way.  
——  
Gradually over a two month period the cough grew worse. It was around the end of that second month that Lucretia found herself wandering the ship, looking for the captain. She’d checked some of the usual places, and hadn’t seen him. The small office behind the control room was the next best place. She went up and knocked on the door, only to have it swing open under her touch.

“Captain? Are you-“ Her eyes went wide at the scene. Davenport was laying on the floor, small puddle of ink spreading around him. She rushed over to him, dropping to her knees beside her captain. “Captain? Captain can you hear me?”

Davenport stirred, his eyes fluttering open. “What... Lucretia?” She helped him sit up, steadying him as he swayed dangerously.

“Captain, what... what happened?”

“I’m not sure. I went to get more ink... next thing I know you’re here and I’m on the floor.”

Lucretia frowned and raised a hand towards him. “May I?”

“Go ahead, I guess.” He seemed a bit confused, but she pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. She frowned.

“Captain, you’re burning. You need to go rest, I’ll find Merle.”

Davenport nodded. He seemed tired, but still managed to get himself up and shuffle back to his room. A pang of worry shot through her as she watched him leave. She’s never seen him sick before, so while she was sure he’d be fine soon it was still hard to believe.

Lucretia went to get Merle, and alerted him tp their captain’s high fever.

“Again?” Merle sighed.

“What do you mean again?”

“He’d had a light fever a few days ago. Thought I’d healed him up but I guess it’s back.”

Lucretia nodded as Merle walked back to the ship, now genuinely worried about what could be going on. It sounded like Merle’s magic just... hadn’t worked. What was going on?  
——

Later it seemed Davenport had recovered some, to Lucretia’s relief. He still looked tired, but otherwise was in good spirits. And he was eating, so that was a reassurance in its own right.

Even that didn’t last long.

The next day the fever had returned. And the next. It was a cycle of the fever returning, Merle trying to heal him, and getting worse the next day. But he was still functioning alright. Eating, moving around, keeping a sense of humor. And whatever bug he had didn’t seem to be spreading, so the others were comfortable helping him with whatever he needed.

One day a few weeks in, something was different. Davenport hadn’t eaten much for breakfast, and left for his room without a word. Merle was busy with his plants, so Lucretia went to check on their captain. His door was half open. Strange.

“Captain? I’m coming in.” She announced, stepping into the room. The Captain’s quarters was much nicer than the other rooms, and even had its own bathroom. That’s where a sound was coming from. She moved towards it carefully.

She saw him leaning over the toilet, breathing heavily as his body shook.

“Davenport, are... are you alright?”

He turned his bleary gaze towards her, and looked as if he was going to speak when he heaved again, and turned to puke into the toilet. She kneeled beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. When this bout of heaving had passed he tried to speak.

“Lucretia...” his voice was strained, “Where’s Merle?”

“Tending to plants. I can get him.”

“Please.”

She ran through the ship, desperate to find Merle. She didn’t know what to do, but at least Merle could help a bit. Even if it wasn’t permanent. Lucretia burst into Merle’s room, much to the surprise of the cleric.

“Davenport needs you. Now.” She huffed.

“Why? What happened?”

“Sick. Really sick.”

Merle nodded and went as quickly as he could back to the Captain’s room, Lucretia following close behind.

“What’s up with you two?” Lup asked, blocking the way. Lucretia stopped, but motioned at Merle to keep going.

“Davenport’s worse. Could you and Taako get... I don’t know, soup? Crackers? Something bland.”

The twin’s brow furrowed as she nodded. Everyone had been worried about their captain, so it was all hands on deck to help. She stalked off, likely to find Taako and make him help. Lucretia would have to tell the others later, but she needed to check on Davenport. Entering the room again, she heard Merle talking softly in the bathroom.

“Hey, it’s ok, I’ve got you.” She heard him say. The sink ran a while. “Ok, go lie down. I’ll be right out.”

Davenport stumbled out of the bathroom towards the bed. He didn’t even look towards Lucretia. She moved towards the bathroom, where she found Merle cleaning up a bit.

“How is he?”

“Not good. Healing Word helped calm things down but he’s not doing well. I’d have to say he’s getting worse.” The look on Merle’s face broke her heart. She knew they’d gotten engaged the previous cycle, so this must have been emotionally taxing for him.

“I may not be a healer, but I’m going to try and find what’s causing this. I’m going to find a way to help him.” The dwarf’s expression softened.

“Let’s hope there’s a way to be found.”

——

The more she looked, the less possible a cure seemed. Because for a cure she’d need to know the cause of his illness, and that was always just out of reach. All the while Davenport was getting so much worse. He could barely get out of bed now, and was having a hard time keeping any solid food down at all. Merle was constantly at his side as the others looked for ways to help. Aside from Taako and Lup, there wasn’t much they could do. So instead they turned their attention to finding the light, sending Barry and Magnus to look for it. They were out there now, and were supposed to be returning that day if all went well.

Lucretia stood outside the door to Davenport’s room, cup of soup in hand. Well, calling it soup was a bit generous. It was only warm broth, about all their captain’s stomach could handle. Taking a shaky breath to steady herself, she stepped inside.

The sight never got any easier to see. Merle was sitting in the bed, Davenport resting against his chest. When he saw her come in he leaned down, gently waking the sick gnome. He seemed so small, now that he had lost so much weight... Lucretia’s hands were trembling as he stepped closer to the bed. Seeing her captain reduced to a trembling mess... It hurt so bad.

She handed the cup to Merle, who helped Davenport drink it. His eyes seemed hazy, and something seemed worse today than it had in the weeks prior.

“He’s getting worse, isn’t he.” It was more a statement than a question. Merle looked down at the captain, who had closed his eyes again. It was a silent confirmation.

“Honestly, I don’t... I don’t know how much longer he’s going to last.” There was an edge to his voice she couldn’t place. But she knew how upset he must be. This was the love of his life, dying slowly in an agonizing way.

“Merle, I’m so sorry. Nothing seems to be helping... I don’t know what to do.”

“Not much we can do. I mean, he’s not getting any better. So it’s either we make him comfortable or... I don’t know.” Lucretia nodded.

“I’ll come back later.” She left the room, moving to the living area. Taako and Lup were in the kitchen, still working on getting dinner ready. Taako looks over as she enters.

“How is he?”

“He’s bad. I don’t... I’m not sure if he’s gonna last the year. I don’t think he’s going to recover. At least, not this cycle.” The three fell silent. That silence was broken by Magnus bursting through the door, glowing ball of light in hand and Barry trailing behind him.

“We got it!” He announced triumphantly, but got no response. The others were just too deep in the pit of despair. There was no need to explain. The others understood entirely what the silence meant. Their captain wasn’t doing well.

“Lucretia, if you want I can help you with the research. Maybe if we keep looking we can find something.” Lucretia nodded, accepting Barry’s offer. Maybe there wasn’t anything to be done, but they had to try. They had to.  
——

None of them were prepared for the next day. Merle had tried to wake Davenport up when Lucretia brought something for him to drink in, but he hadn’t. Everyone tried all they could think of, but still nothing. Merle ran through his spell slots in under an hour trying to get something to change. Again, nothing. Probably the worst part about it was that he was still alive, if it could be counted as that.

Magnus spent a lot of time outside the ship. Nobody was quite certain what it was he was busying himself with, but every time he came back he was covered in scratched and dirt. Merle had changed too. Quiet, reserved, serious. He barely ever left Davenport’s side. Its not like Davenport hadn’t died before, but those had always seemed quick. Like a bandaid being ripped off. One minute there and the next he’s gone. This was different, just from how long it lingered. Almost taunting the crew.

And then it was over.

One morning, at the beginning of their final month, they woke up to find he had died some time in the night. Everyone was trying to hold themselves together Merle relayed the news. Magnus shifted uncomfortably.

“Guys... I know this is gonna sound weird, but... We still have most of a month. I don’t think we should just have a body on the ship? We should give him a proper burial.” He suggested as gently as he could.

“Yeah ok sure. It’s only gonna take us most of the month to set up, why not?” Taako snapped from where he sat curled up on the couch, arms crossed.

“Actually...” He paused, clearly uncomfortable, “I kinda already have it ready.”

The rest of the crew agreed to the burial, but decided to wait one more day. Just to give everyone a bit of time to process.

When morning came the next day, the crew followed Magnus into the woods. He was holding Davenport’s body, which was wrapped in a spare sheet they’d had on the ship. And sure enough, when they got to a clearing everything seemed ready for a funeral. A hole was dug, the pile of dirt beside it with a shovel. There was even a coffin, small and crude but still functional.

This entire year was the year it really struck Lucretia just how small their captain was. Seeing him so weak and frail, and now watching Magnus lower his body into the coffin. A coffin that seemed would be the size of a human child. When Taako used magic to lower the coffin into the hole, the others convinced Merle to say a few words. He stood by the hole, other four in front of him.

“Well, I mean there isn’t much to say. This year’s been rough, and I think we’ve had a lot of time to think about Dav. So whatever sappy stuff you’ve all got to say, save it. Tell it to him when we get him back.”

With that Magnus shoveled the dirt back in, until the hole was filled again. They left, leaving Merle behind for just a while longer.

That night was actually the happiest they’d had all year, drinking and talking about all the good times with their captain, and discussing what they’d tell him when the cycle ended.  
——  
That year everyone but Davenport made it out alive. The Hunger came, they escaped, and as they passed through the barrier, their captain was returned to them.

Needless to say, when the ship landed the entire crew surrounded the captain, all talking at once about how much they missed him, making sure he was in good health. Merle held him close that cycle, but this time there was nothing to worry about. That year was over, and they’d never let something like that happen again.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to tell me what you thought. I’ll be doing more oneshots for these two so keep an eye out :)


End file.
